Aras Auto-3

At what might have been the time when daylight was finally beginning to appear, an armed group arrived near the river.

This was the same river they had passed through once before arriving at Aras Auto.

This location had the highest number of sightings. Apparently, the denser the fog, the higher the chance of appearance.

Thick fog, just like last time, had formed.

Reading the wind, they moved to a position where the fog would not reach them.

As the sun rose higher, thick fog slowly drifted downwind.

It would be difficult to locate the monsters by sight alone in this fog.

Then, let's use scanning magic.

I activate my scanning magic, sending electromagnetic waves toward the direction of the fog.

I've already surveyed the visible portions, but nothing is responding in return.

"Hmm. Yeah, it's just too thick for anything to be seen through."

The man beside me groans, peering through his telescope.

This man is a member of the current expedition team.

He usually works as both an information broker and an adventurer, entering unexplored dungeons and selling details about the interior terrain and minerals found inside.

The current expedition team consists of several individuals skilled in gathering such intelligence.

His name is Ian. When we talk, he proves to be cheerful and easygoing.

He's a textbook example of someone anyone can feel comfortable approaching.

As he said, we won't find anything staying like this.

My scouting magic has too wide a range and is too far off to be accurate.

I'd prefer to get a bit closer, but getting closer means...

"You won't go any further. If he shows up, we won't be able to escape."

Roll, who was accompanying the search, issues the command.

So, what should we do... The plan prepared by Roll and the others was remarkably simple.

They're using explosives.

The main industry in Arasoot is mineral mining. Throughout Arasoot and its surrounding areas, there are remnants of old dungeons and mineral veins, from which various types of magical stones are extracted.

Apparently, they use explosives during mining—what we'd call dynamite.

Thanks to their extensive experience with explosives, they can apparently control the timing and scale of detonations, even blowing away just the thick fog.

"Alright, throw it!"

At Roll's command, the carefully adjusted dynamite was launched by the catapult.

The dynamite reached precisely above the fog as planned, detonating in a small explosion that blew away only the surrounding mist. I couldn't help but worry that such actions might provoke the monster and cause it to attack us instead, but when I asked about that earlier, I was told, “If that happens, just run and escape”—a remarkably straightforward response.

I hope this is going to be okay...

The mist gradually cleared, revealing the river and the surrounding area. Yet nothing particularly notable appeared, and soon they were once again enveloped by fog.

This cycle repeated several times, but nothing of interest was found. Ultimately, nothing was discovered that day, and the search ended.

Yet, not even a single footprint... I'd heard stories suggesting the creature was quite large, but could it really leave behind no trace at all?

That night, I was talking with Ian at the campsite.

His family home had been a fairly large merchant house.

He had run away from home in his youth to become an adventurer, but eventually gave up due to the hardships involved.

Lost in the wilderness, he was fortunate to possess strong information-gathering skills, which led him to pursue a career as a spy.

I listened to the story of his life while idly poking at the campfire. Yet, despite his age, he felt the limits of his physical endurance and decided to retire, returning to take over the family business.

Listening to your story, it sounds like you had a bit of a rift with your family back home?

Ahaha, it's a bit embarrassing to talk about. When I quit being an adventurer, I couldn't find any way to earn a living. That's when we reconciled. Now, I share the intel I gather as an information broker with my family, and they use it in their business. Going forward, I'll be juggling both the information trade and commerce—two hats, one path.

I see. But if that's the case, then this time, we absolutely must win.

"Yeah, I suppose. Though I'm not the one doing the fighting—just gathering information. If we win, though, come visit my family home. I'll give you a discount as thanks for listening to this old man's story."

"That sounds great. Then I'd like to settle things as soon as possible and see the product."

"Still, where could that monster possibly be? I've been investigating since before you arrived, but I've only managed to confirm its form properly once—just a silhouette disappearing into the mist. It's like I'm chasing a ghost."

"Still as incredibly bizarre a creature as ever. That's what we call a monster, isn't it?"

They chuckle about the elusive beast. Could there really be such a thing as a monster?

The next day, the fog had cleared, so we explored the area around the river, but as expected, we found no footprints or any new signs.

We repeated this routine for several days.

Then, on a day when fog rolled in again, it suddenly appeared.

That day, the fog was especially thick. I could sense an unusual atmosphere, a strange sensation clinging to my skin, as if being pulled.

Could it be because I'm a magician? I immediately sensed it... It's here!

From a spot slightly elevated and away from the river, I activate my scouting magic. I sweep my gaze slowly across the entire visible range, from one edge to the other.

Right in front of me—the spot where the bridge I passed through when arriving in Arasooto stands. A strong reaction is emanating precisely from that location.

I glance toward Roll.

Roll was already looking at me. Without a word, I nod, confirming its presence.

We set dynamite on the projectile to blow away the thick fog.

From this spot, distant from the bridge, the dynamite detonated precisely on the bridge, scattering the surrounding fog.

The creature that emerged had an appearance so unlike anything of this world that it was immediately apparent it was a demon beast.

"That thing... is the target for this mission..."

The demon beast had the body of a cow, yet possessed impossibly thick legs. Its hooves and a pair of horns, both made of magical stones, were sharply pointed.

Its torso appeared to be wrapped in muscle, clearly defined and sharply contoured. Colorful magical stones protruded from various parts of its body, giving it a look similar to armor.

The magical stones briefly cleared, reflecting and refracting the sunlight pouring in, making its form appear even more divine and striking.

Standing precisely at the bulging part of the bridge, it exuded a mighty, awe-inspiring presence that stirred fear.

Lost in awe, I was suddenly yanked backward with force.

"What are you doing?! Run now!"

The group instantly began retreating.

The investigation was originally intended to study the appearance and habitat of the monster, not to exterminate it.

Once its form was confirmed, we had already decided in advance to retreat to avoid unnecessary damage.

Regaining my senses, I sprinted as fast as I could to catch up with the others.

A moment later, glancing back, I met the monster's gaze—it seemed to simply stare at me without making any move.

In an instant, I thought I saw dust rise from the bridge, and the monster was gone.

A blast echoed. The bovine monster had charged into the discarded launch device. I ran as fast as I could, feeling the fierce impact behind me.

The launch device was destroyed in an instant, shattered into pieces. Then, the monster let out a deep, rumbling roar that seemed to vibrate through my abdomen.

Cold sweat trickled down as I heard the low growl echoing nearby.

After running for a while, not a single member of the investigation team was left behind—everyone had escaped safely. It must have been thanks to the considerable distance between us.

"Good! No one's injured! Though it's a bit awkward, let's gather those who saw it and pool our information. Come over here, to me."

People quickly swarmed over, sketching down what they'd seen and describing the creature's features.

Eventually, the magnificent bovine-like monster they had just seen was fully sketched out.

It measured about 5 to 6 meters in length, featuring two prominent horns extending forward from its front.

Everyone stood transfixed, staring in awe at its form.

Well, how exactly are we supposed to defeat this thing?...Is it even possible to defeat it at all?

Then, discussion began on how to take it down. The voices gradually grew louder, and the debate became increasingly intense.

"If we set a rope at its feet, won't that stop its movement?" "Come on, those thick legs—something like that would just get torn apart."

"Then, why don't we take it down before it charges?" "How are we supposed to land a hit on a body full of magic stones?" "Anyway, how do you even deal with that charge...?"

The debate heats up, but nothing is decided. All we've learned this time is the appearance. It's no surprise nothing was decided.

At the right moment, Roll stepped in to summarize.

"Everyone, calm down! All we've confirmed this time is its appearance. The investigation will continue from here. For now, our priority is finding a way to stop that charge. Understood!"

With that, the investigation was set to continue, and today's session came to an end.

"Taro!"

Just as I was resting in the tent area set up away from the location where the monster had appeared, someone called out my name.

It was Ian.

"Since we're here, how about having a meal together?"

I didn't have any particular reason to decline, so I agreed to the invitation. After eating and some time had passed...

"Still, I was amazed. That was a demon beast...?"

"Is this your first time seeing a demon beast?"

"Yeah, up until now I've been working behind the scenes gathering intelligence. I've collected traces of demon beasts before, but I've never actually seen one."

"Why exactly did you join this risky expedition this time?"

"Nothing special. I was thinking about wrapping up this job. I needed some solid cash, and since this request is dangerous, the reward is good. With this amount, I'll have something nice to bring back home as a souvenir."

Saying that, he stood up.

It was already late at night—time to go to bed. Tomorrow's expedition starts early in the morning.

"Just about to become a lively family, huh."

"Do you have children?"

"Yeah, I found out not long ago. Now my belly's getting pretty noticeable. Plus, I haven't even given them a wedding gift yet. I plan to have the ceremony when I get back."

...Even without waving such an obvious flag...

"Anyway, the other party's moving fast. For safety's sake, let's observe from as far away as possible, no matter what!"

Shaking it off forcefully.

"Yeah, yeah, got it. Then, I'll be off."

That day passed by, carrying a faint sense of unease.